VAN NIEKERK SMASHES SA 300M BEST

Building on his superb form ahead of the Rio Olympics, Wayde van Niekerk stole the show at the Racers Grand Prix meeting in Jamaica on Saturday night, smashing his own SA best in the men’s 300m sprint.
Van Niekerk crossed the line in 31.03, holding off American LaShawn Merritt by 0.20 to secure an impressive victory.
The world 400m champion shattered his national mark of 31.63, which he had set in Birmingham in June last year, climbing to third place in the global all-time list behind Michael Johnson (30.85) and Jamaican star Usain Bolt (30.97) over the rarely run 300m distance.
Akani Simbine, who had spent the week training with compatriots Van Niekerk and Justine Palframan at Bolt’s camp in Jamaica, did well to finish sixth against a world-class line-up in the men’s 100m sprint.
He clocked 10.01, just 0.05 outside his own SA record.
Bolt, the world record holder, won the race in 9.88.
Palframan took seventh position in the women’s 400m race in a season’s best of 53.01.
Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, the bronze medallist at last year’s World Championships, secured victory in 50.72.